Trump Accuses Brazilian Authorities of 'Witch Hunt' Against Former Leader Bolsonaro
The former president has repeatedly denied the allegations and said he is the target of political persecution. In his first such comment since Bolsonaro's trial began, Trump said in a social media post that Brazil is doing a 'terrible thing' in their treatment of his ally. He added that Bolsonaro is 'not guilty of anything,' except for having 'fought for the people,' and compared the Brazilian's situation to his own. 'This happened to me times 10,' the US president said. 'I will be closely monitoring the witch hunt of Jair Bolsonaro, his family, and thousands of his supporters. Leave Bolsonaro alone!'
Bolsonaro responded by saying on social media that Trump's 'fight for peace, justice and liberty echoes worldwide,' and he thanked the US leader for 'giving us a role model for faith and resilience.' Bolsonaro has been declared ineligible to run for office until 2030 by Brazil's electoral court for abuse of power during the 2022 election, when he narrowly lost to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Lula said in a statement that did not mention Trump that the defense of democracy in Brazil is a topic for Brazilians. 'We are a sovereign nation.' Brazil's president added: 'We have solid and independent institutions. No one is above the law. Even more so those who attack freedom and the rule of law.' Later, speaking on the sidelines of a summit of BRICS emerging economies in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's president said he had more important things to comment on than Trump's post on Bolsonaro. 'Go take care of your own life, not ours,' Lula said.
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